Smarsh: Poverty and illness add up to crisis

Tuesday

She had “a feeling” the place the press was going to ask about the U.S. Senate, after a news story last month linked the Democrat to a possible bid in 2020 for the Senate seat held by the retiring U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts.

“I can’t talk about that right now,” she said firmly, ruling out the topic. No one else raised her political future during the event that ran two hours at The Wool Market & DIY School, 420 N. Main St., and featured her speech on "Place, Class, Health: The Impact of Environment & Economics on Personal Wellness."

Sponsored by the Heal Reno County Coalition and made possible through a Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Kansas Pathways to Healthy Kansas grant, the event attracted over 100 people.

Smarsh, 38, said she is not a researcher or expert in health care, but she knows from growing up on a farm in Kingman County that “ poverty and health intersect in a way that begets a real crisis.”

“What could be more pressing or of greater concern than one’s health?” she asked.

“If your health is ailing and you can’t access care, then all of those other concerns, what you would prefer to do for a living, how you're going to spend your night with your family, what kind of books you like to read, what kind of music you’re going to listen to, every aspect of your humanity sort of falls in line behind: Am I going to live or die? Is this pain going to go away?” Smarsh said.

Smarsh shared her stories, including describing an article she wrote five years ago about a tooth cavity her father had that led to graver health concerns. It was untreated early on because he did not have dental insurance. She also read from her 2018 book, “Heartland: A Memoir of Working Hard and Being Broke in the Richest Country on Earth,” about her grandmother and her health crisis.

Smarsh hoped her stories would spur the Hutchinson audience to spend the second hour in the program talking about their health stories. Moderator Lisa Gleason, executive director of United Way of Reno County, prodded the audience to speak up.

Among concerns raised:

Kelsi Depew said she did not have health care coverage but her children did, and she noted that when she was pregnant, she did qualify for coverage.James Taylor said a lot goes back to politics and those who successfully blocked Medicaid expansion. Three of Reno county’s legislative delegation - State Reps. Paul Waggoner, R-Hutchinson; Joe Seiwert, R-Pretty Prairie; and Jack Thimesch, R-Spivey - have opposed expanded Medicaid coverage.Kim Moore said the often-used line that anyone can receive care at the emergency room leaves out the fact that dental care, rehabilitation, and prescription medicine are examples of health care services not available at the emergency room.Tammy Gilley suggested more businesses provide family time so a parent can stay home with a sick child. She also noted, though, that for small businesses, providing insurance to employees is very expensive.Ryan Hvitlok urged that people be empowered by information to make health decisions. He cited calorie counts on restaurant menus as a good example.

Audience members volunteered that having insurance still leaves gaps because of high deductible and co-pay levels. “Is it bad enough to call the doctor?” is a question asked in households.

Health care is unusual because the consumer has no idea what he is going to actually pay, one man said.

People with problems tend to self-medicate, moderator Gleason noted, and asked the audience: Do we think that happens in Reno County?

The audience let out a collective, “Oh,” followed by a chuckle of certainty.

Heal Reno County’s website points out that over 66 percent of Reno County residents are overweight or obese, and one out of four Reno County residents ages 18 to 44 lack health care coverage. A U.S. Centers for Disease Control report on longevity showed a wealthier neighborhood in Hutchinson’s northwest corner had the highest projected longevity in the county, while a lower-income area on the city’s south end had the lowest projected life expectancy in the county.

Smarsh was the second speaker brought in through the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Kansas grant. The third and last speaker in the series will be Benjamin Anderson, chief executive officer of Kearny County Hospital, Lakin. His presentation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. June 11, at The Wool Market and DIY School.

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